The Language of God

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. (John 8:43 NIV)

"No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared John 7:46

Language is very often a good indicator of the personality of people.

Thus a poetical language will reveal a poetical sensitivity, an authoritative language will indicate an authoritative personality, and a teacher will have a sort of pedagogical and psychological approach and attitude. This is largely determined by the vocabulary used as well as the attitude and tone of voice.

God has a language of His own. He always used the same kind of language and never diverts from it. I have been greatly blessed personally when the Holy-Spirit showed me this great truth. Have you paid enough attention to the language and vocabulary God uses? It is an absolute language going to such an extreme that we sometimes ask ourselves if all this is possible, while always realizing and believing that it is true. We are just amazed!

What are the words that God uses so constantly which reveal His heart, His ways, and the principles by which we should live to please Him?

They are powerful words such as: above, abundant, abounding, abundantly, all, always, full and fullness, high, to overtake, plenteous etc. Let us see some of these verses and let us decide to take them seriously and apply them to our lives as God intended it to be. The problem with most of us is that we are not really serious about God’s word when He talks about Himself and His dealings with us. We often hesitate to take his words and promises literally.

God’s word about Himself

Let us look at some words of God about himself and the kind of relationship He expects from us: Firstly, God uses unequivocal terms about Himself. As He passed before Moses, who dared to ask God to reveal him His Glory, he proclaims His Holy Name:

        “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6 NIV)

                       

 To Israel He declared:

(      "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.  I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.  Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?" Isaiah 43:10-13 NIV)

God’s word about our relationship with Him

But most astoundingly are His words concerning the way He wants to relate with   us and us with Him. His words go to such and extreme that I am really amazed.        Let us meditate on these verses:

       Deuteronomy 6:4-9 summarizes  it well

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

This would probably sound as an exaggeration to the skeptic ear. Yes God expects this kind of devotion from his children. Loving and serving Him with ALL our heart, soul, and strength. Not less than that. The highest level of spirituality, the highest dimension and nothing less.

 

 

Relativism and the Modern World

 

The Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

 

What are the characteristics of the Modern World?  There is a contemporary culture which is emerging throughout the world and is becoming more and more prominent. And if we are not careful, it can be a danger to the church.

1. An exaggerated pursuit of material wealth, to the detriment of spiritual growth.

2. The explosion of knowledge: Data, facts and information are becoming outdated almost overnight. The head is taking supremacy over the heart.

3. The culture of power, mainly political power: Expecting the emergence of the providential leader to bring the desired change. As if men's ability could save the world without God's help.

4. But the most dangerous is the culture of RELATIVISM which inevitably leads to individualism. Nothing absolute. Nothing is normative. Norms are being rejected. There is total liberty in every sphere. You just do what feels good to you.

People are not so much at ease with spiritually mature men and women who are always using superlatives in their language. We think that they are too idealist and not enough realistic, that they need to be brought back to a more balanced state of mind. We believe that they often go too far and should maintain the right equilibrium.

 

They say that people can't just always pray and praise the Lord. People can't always think about the lost and read the bible everyday. Giving tithe is old fashion and sometimes involves too great sum of money. After all, who can think of being as holy as the Apostles of old?

 

Let us read some of those Apostle inspired writings:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us Ephesians 3:20

 

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:8

 

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

C.S Lewis was right when he said that, "we are far too easily pleased". About Stephan is said in the book of Acts, that he was "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit", and that he was also full of grace and power. And I believe that full means full, don't you?

 

The language of Jesus

 

The language of Jesus was so powerful that the Pharisees and Scribes were bewildered by His powerful statements. Once they sent the temple guards to arrest Him. But they just could not arrest him because his words were so powerful. Their answer to the Pharisees explains their bewilderment:

 

"No one ever spoke the way this man does" The Amplified Bible translates this verse as follows with an additional sentence to explain the meaning of the original words: "Never has a man talked as this man talks! - No mere man has ever spoken as He speaks"

 

In John 10:33 they made this extraordinary remark: "you, a mere man, claim to be God." Jesus talked the language of God because he is God. The man Jesus was God in human form. The Incarnation of Christ remains an unfathomable mystery.

 

In John 7: 37-38 it is written: On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

 

And I believe it should be just like that, streams of living-water that is an overflowing of the anointing of the Holy-Spirit in our lives.

 

Jesus said in Luke 6:38, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you"

 

In Luke 14:33, "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."

 

 Some Amazing Promises

Leviticus 26:5-13, "Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in your land. I will grant peace in the land and you will lie down no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. 

You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of   you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. I will look on you with favor and make    you fruitful and increase your numbers, I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating your last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.              

I will put my dwelling place among you and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who   brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with the heads held high.

Deuteronomy 30:9, "Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in     all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers.       

Can you think of more than that? And it is not just material, it is first of all spiritual. We should let these thoughts fill our mind, model our language and inspire our prayers, praises, and worship. There are so many verses that can be cited. I encourage you to take your Bible and to continue studying on this subject.

      God bless you abundantly in all things.                

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